On the story of how these three brands came to be, there is a bit of muddy water. Mr. Levine tells us that the names were the result of a request from Col. Tom Dunlap directly to Albert Baer to create a line of knives for sears for each of the three price points, high, medium, and low. Bear seems to somewhat confirm this in his unpublished memoirs (perhaps Mr. Levine's information came from Baer during an interview with him some years ago). However, if we go to John and Charlotte Goins book, we find a slightly different story. The Goins book is a monumental work, and of great importance to collectors, but it is not infallable. For instance the entry on page 83:
DUNLOP USA c. 1938-1942 A Trademark used by Sears, Roebuck and Company (named after the Sears Hardware buyer, Thomas M. Dunlap). ...
A typo? Possibly. On the same page:
DUNLAP c 1872-1930 Founded in 1872 as the Johnson & Dunlap Hardware in Macon Georgia. The name became Dunlap Hardware in 1877. Samuel S. Dunlap was the owner.
(pg. 158)
Kwik Kut c. 1930-1941 This Trademark was used by Sears, Roebuck and Company on their cheapest line of pocket knives.
Now, if we look at the previous listing (pg. 158), KWIK-KUT was used c. 1921-26 by a firm in Saint Louis Missouri. So did A.K.&B., or Sears buy the trademark?
Then on page 263:
STA-SHARP c.1927-1940 A Trademark used by Sears Roebuck & Company.
But also:
STA-SHARP Knife Co. c. 1938-1946 A Trademark used by N.J. LaBarre.
Camillus made the knives for Sears, no doubt. Albert Baer was in the thick of it, also no doubt. When he left Kastor/Camillus in October 1940, he took the better part of the Sears (Col. Tom Dunlap) business with him, also no doubt. The time frame when these three trademarks ceased being used and the use of the Craftsman name on knives began is almost simultanious. That Ulster and Schrade Walden was the major vendor for Sears after the war is also little contested. I need more biographical information on Tom Dunlap to fill in some blanks, however. I know that Frank Kethcart who was the cutlery buyer under Dunlap eventually went to work directly for Baer. Whether or not this was before Dunlap retired, I don't know.
Anyone remember Tom?
Michael
